Group Offers Ideas To Battle Teen Gangs

The anti-gang group Together Against Gangs on Wednesday introduced its 30-point plan that includes pushing for mandatory gang training of law enforcement officers, designation of special gang prosecutors, and establishing of a hotline to tip off police about gang activity.

But at least some of those goals are already in the works.

State Attorney Barry Krischer is working with sheriff's officials on a seminar to teach police officers how to develop cases against criminal gang members and charge them under tougher laws.

At an earlier unrelated meeting west of Delray Beach, Krischer announced his appointment of veteran prosecutor Ken Selvig to oversee gang prosecutions.

Selvig is trying the case against 10 gang members accused of beating Boca Raton teen Joseph Pymm into a coma in September. Pymm has been slowly recovering from the attack since. TAG, a grass-roots group, organized as a response to the attack.

At Wednesday's sparsely attended TAG meeting at the Affirmation Lutheran Church on West Glades Road, chairwoman-elect Wanda Thayer, a Boca Raton City Council member, announced that the county's Crime Stoppers hotline, 1-800-458-TIPS, will now also be designated as a tip hotline to report gang activity.

Thayer, who was elected chairwoman by the TAG board earlier in the evening, said she is encouraged by Krischer's efforts.

"It needs to be done," she said. "It's very specialized training."

Krischer said he wants to fight teen-age gang crime by prosecuting under laws that allow judges to impose stiffer sentences.

If gangs can be proved to be a criminal enterprise, prosecutors may charge them under state racketeering laws.